Solid draft-rigging.



No. 733,720. PATENTED JULY 14, 1903.

I E. LEWIS.

SOLID DRAFT RIGGING.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27, 1903. N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

WITNESSES: MM

INVENTOR 3 7 ZZz'aslew 56 By '2 4 d v omeys 1w: Nowus PETERS co. rworo-umo, WASHINGYDN, n. c

PATENTED JULY 14, 1903. E. LEWIS.

SOLID DRAFT RIGGING.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27, 1903.

s SHEETS-SHEBT'Z.

10 MODEL.

WITNESSES.-

No. 733.720.'. PATENTED JULY 14, 1903.

Q E. LEWIS.

SOLID DRAFT RIGGING.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27. 1903.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

HO MODEL.

INVENTOR [ea 0'6 omeys UNITED STATES Patented J uly 14, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE;

SOLID DRAFT-RIGGING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 733,720, dated July 14, 1903.

Application filed March 27, 1903- Serial No. 149,817. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELIAS LEWIS, residing at Terre Haute, in the county of Vigo and State of Indiana, have invented a new and Improved Solid Draft-Rigging, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is in the nature of an improved construction of solid draft-rigging more especially designed for engine-tenders, freightcars, 850., and it seeks to provide a draft-rigging of the character stated which can be readily applied in any of the ordinarily-equipped car and locomotive shops without the requirement of special tools, implements, or skill, and which is of a compact and durable form, easily applied to cars or tenders, and which is effective and positive in its operation.

In its generic nature my invention comprehends a peculiar simple and compact means for supporting the buffer-springs when arranged in pairs at each end of the bearing or seat member and rod-guide, a pair of buffersprings at one end and a single opposingspring at the other end, or a pair of opposing buffer-springs, one at each end of the bearing and guide member.

In its more complete nature my invention embodies a novel cooperative arrangement of a spring-bearing or seat-casting, pull-rods, follower-plates, and coupling-straps, and in its more subordinate features it consists of certain details of construction and peculiar combination of parts, all of which will hereinafter be fully described, and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is an inverted plan view which illustrates my improvements attached to the car-sills, the seat or hearing member being designed for supporting four buffer-springs, two on each pull-rod. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section thereof, taken substantially on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 illustrates my improved rigging arranged with three butter-springs, a pair at one end and a single intermediate opposing spring. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section of the same on the line 4: 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the spring seat or hearing member illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

6 is an end elevation thereof.

Fig. 7 is an inverted plan view, and Fig. Sis an end view, of the form of spring seat or bearing member shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Fig. 9 is an inverted plan view thereof.

My improved construction of draft-rigging embodies a seat or bearin g member A, which can be made of cast or malleable iron or steel, and the said seat or hearing member comprises, essentially, end portions a a, integral with a longitudinal or bottom portion a, and downwardly-projecting side brackets a a suitably apertured, asat a to receive the rivets or bolts 1 1, that secure the seat members A to the vertical inner faces of the opposing sills 16 16, and the said pendent brackets a merge with horizontal flanges a a adapted to rest upon the bottom edges of the said sills 16 1G, to which they are riveted or bolted when the parts are assembled as shown in Figs. 1 to 4.

The seat or bearing member A has a pair of pull-rod guide-apertures of a in each end, disposedin a horizontal plane, and at a point intermediate the said rod-apertures a (t and at the upper and lower ends the member A has a pair of longitudinal. flanges, the upper ones of which are designated a a and the lower ones a a, whereby to form upper and lower longitudinally extending guide seats X Y, adapted to receive the upper and lower coupling-straps presently again referred to.

At each end the member A has socket-bearings a adapted to receive the inner ends of the buffer-springs, and when my improved rigging is arranged as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 two socket-bearings a a are formed in each end concentric with the pull-rod apertures, as best shown in Fig. 6.

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 four buffer-springs (designated 3 3*) are used, and in. the said form all of the springs are mounted on the pull-rods S 8 in such manner that each pair of springs 3 3 are held 011 their respective pull-rods to oppose each other, and the springs 3 at one end have their inner extremities held in engagement with the socket-bearings 8 in the coincident end of the seat member A and their outer ends held to bear against a single follower-plate 10, which extends transversely from one pull-rod to the other and is slidably mounted thereon,

and to prepare for taking up all accumulation of slack the inner ends of the pull-rods 8 are threaded to receive the jam and lock ends j and Z, as shown. The front springs 3 3 are mounted between their respective receiving socket-bearings a and a follower -plate 10, slidably mounted on the front ends of the pull-rods 8, whose outer extremities terminate in enlarged heads 8, which are longitudinally slotted, as at 8 to receive the cross or coupling key 9, that joins the said pull-rods 8 S with the back end of the coupling-shank 17, and the said member 9 is firmly held in its operative position by a split key ll, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, from which it will also be noticed that the follower or front cross member 10 abuts the rear end of the coupling-shank 17.

6 designates what I term an upper coupling-strap, and 7 indicates a lower couplingstrap, which straps respectively seat in the upper and lower guides X and Y, formed in the top and bottom surfaces of the seat member A, and the said straps are provided to hold the spring-followers 10 an d 10 and the rear end of the coupling-shank 17 in a perfect alinement or operative position. The rear ends of the straps 6 and 7 are joined by a bolt 13, that passes through the registering apertures in the said rear end of the straps, and the said bolt is secured by a split key 13. The front ends of the straps" 6 and '7 are similarly connected by a bolt 12, which passes from the bottom strap through the upper strap and is secured by a nut 2, that engages the upper side of the strap 7 and which is held from working loose by a lug 7, formed on the front end of the strap 7, as best shown in Fig. 2.

So far as described it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention relates that assuming the buffersprings are of proper capacity the said springs will receive all the pulling and buffing strains, and by reason of the peculiar manner in which they are mounted, and especially with relation to the seat member A, they afford such resistance in the rebound that they efiectively prevent any sudden shock that would result in breakage. The bearing member A being of solid metal, it is manifest that by reason of the peculiar manner in which it is applied to the sills it serves to bind the said sills together to prevent the same from spreading.

In Figs. 3 and 4 is shown a slightly-modified arrangement of my invention, in which the same parts are employed that are shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with the exception that but three springs instead of four and but one follower-plate are used, and when thus arranged the member A instead of having two spring bearing-sockets a in both ends it has but a single one of said sockets in its front end, which is disposed between the pull-rod apertures, as clearly shown in Fig. 9, and the single front buffer-spring is guided between the two oppositely-disposed pull-rods 8 and held between the central socket a of the member A and the rear end of the coupling-shank 17, the remaining parts being disposed as before described.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the manner in which my rigging operates and its advantages, it is believed, will be readily understood.

The peculiar correlation of the several parts described is such that a simple and inexpensive construction is provided by which buckling or cramping is reduced to the minimum and in which the construction is such that my improved rigging can be readily applied by any railroad company or in the usual car and locomotive shops.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A draft-rigging comprising a solid bearing member adapted to be rigidly mounted on the sills of a car or en gine-tender, said member being longitudinally apertured, socket-bearings in the opposite ends thereon, pull-rods operable in the aperture of the said member, a single follower mounted on the inner end of the said rods, buffer-springs mounted on the rods between the follower-plate and the solid bearing member, one end of said springs being adapted to seat in the bearing-sockets, means for connecting the front end of the pull-rod with the rear end of the coupling-bar, a crosspiece mounted upon the rods and adapted to bear against the coupling -bar and buffersprings interposed between the said crosspiece and the front end of the rigid member, as set forth.

2. A draft-rigging comprising in combination with a pair of sills and a coupling-bar proj eeted therebetween; a solid bearing member having means for rigidly supporting it between the sills, said member having a pair of apertures extended longitudinally therethrough, draft-rods slidable in said apertures, means for detachably securing the front ends of the rods to the coupling-bar, the rigidlyheld bearing member having sockets in each end concentric with the rod-apertures, a follower for joining the front ends of the said rods and buffer-springs mounted on the front and rear ends of the pull-rods engaging the follower and the opposite socket-seats in the bearing member, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination with the sills and the coupling-bar projected therebetween; of the solid seat member A having means for rigidly connecting with the sills, said bearing member having a pair of horizontally-disposed longitudinally-extending apertures and seeketed seats in the opposite ends concentric with the said apertures, a pair of pull-rods slidable through the solid bearing, followers mounted at each end of the pull-rods, springs interposed between the follower and the sock ets in the opposite ends of the solid bearing member, means for connecting the front end of the rods to the coupling-bar, and means mounted on the solid bearing member for holding the rods, the followers and the coupling-bar in a fixed alinement, as set forth.

4. In a draft-rigging as described, the combination with the sills and the coupling-bar, of a solid bearing having its opposite sides provided with flanges for connecting with the sills, its upper and lower faces having longitudinally-extended seats, its body having longitu(finally-extending apertures, pull-rods slidable through the said apertures and adapted to straddle the rear ends of the couplingbar, a key connection for joining said front ends to the coupling-bar, a follower slidably mounted on the inner ends of the pull-bars, springs on the pull-rods between the follower and the rear end of the bearing, a bufferspring eonnection between the end of the said bearing and the coupling-bar on the upper and lower longitudinal guides of the rigid bearing, means for connecting the said springs with each other and with the rear end of the co upling-bar, all being arranged as shown and described.

5. In a draft-rigging as described; the combination with the sills, the coupling-bar movable therebetween and pull-rods connected to the said coupling-bar disposed between the sills, of a solid bearing member having means for rigidly supporting it between the sills, said member having guideways for the draft-bars, sockets in the ends thereon, buffer-springs mounted upon the said bars and adapted to have one end seat within sockets of the solid bearing member, and means mounted on the said bearing member f or holding the couplingbar, the draft-bar and the bufier-springs in proper alinement.

ELIAS LEXVIS. 

